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Lunar New Year will begin on January 22 in 2024, but lucky for us, celebrations last more than one day! In fact, Lunar New Year consists of up to 16 days of celebration, making it a wonderful time to explore Sydney.
According to tradition, 2024 is the year of the Tiger, the third of the Chinese zodiac signs. To celebrate the arrival of the new year, there are tonnes of events happening in Sydney, along with a host of unique experiences to discover. From incense making to traditional tea ceremonies, there are plenty of things to do for Lunar New Year in 2024. Here are some of our favourite activities to celebrate the occasion...
1. Discover the art of incense making class in Glebe
This is a 1.5 hour class that takes place in the bustling and beautiful suburb of Glebe, Sydney. Under the guidance of Christina Xu, who studied Traditional Chinese Medicine for five years, you will learn to craft handmade stick incense from scratch. With all materials provided, all you'll need to do is calm your mind and enjoy the present moment. With a tranquil and intimate atmosphere, you can relax and get one-on-one guidance from your instructor. At the end of the class, you can take your beautiful creation home with you! Why not make a day of it and head to China Diner for lunch before the class?
2. Satisfy your tastebuds at a dumpling-making class
When it comes to making dumplings, it pays to learn from the pros! And, while you can try to make them at home, they’re never quite as delicious as the dumplings you buy from a traditional Chinese restaurant, which is why we recommend taking a tutorial from a seasoned chef. Taught by the team at Honkas Bar + Eats in Potts Point, this hands-on class will have you stuffing, shaping and folding your own dumplings while you sip on refreshing cocktails you've whipped up yourself.
Over the course of three hours, you’ll learn how to make delicious dumplings (with options for vegans and vegetarians available, of course!) and then eat your fill with a homemade feast. The team at Honkas Bar + Eats will steam and pan-fry your creations when you've finished, so you can sit down to enjoy them after all your hard work. Never made dumplings before? We guarantee you'll feel confident enough to continue making them at home after this hands-on workshop!
3. Embrace your creativity with a watercolour painting class
What’s more festive than eating sweets for Lunar New Year? With this fun class taught by artist and illustrator, Blair Zhang, you can enjoy dessert and learn how to paint at the same time! This 2.5 hour class is packed with useful instruction on how to use watercolours, including pointers on perspective, sketching and creating texture, all while enjoying tasty treats like waffles, croissants and cakes. This workshop is taught in the central Sydne's suburb of Haymarket, right next to Central Station, making it easy to get to using public transport. This hands-on class is perfect for beginners and suitable for kids 8+. The only thing you need to bring? Your appetite!
4. See the city with a night photography short course
Lunar New Year is such a wonderful time to enjoy Sydney's balmy summer nights and see all of the beautiful laneways and lanterns that are lit up for the holiday season. Taught by professional photographer, Alfonso Calero, this night photography short course is the perfect way to capture the beauty of the city with your camera. Over the course of approximately 2.5 hours, you’ll learn to set up your tripod and master low light shots in the historical Sydney suburb, The Rocks. After you've learned to take amazing photos worth framing, head over to explore Chinatown and test out your newfound photography skills! For an unforgettable experience, you might like to book into this class when Sydney's renowned VIVID light show comes to town. Discover unique VIVID activities here.
5. Cultivate calm at a traditional tea ceremony
In 2024, Cara founded Altitude Tea as a way of sharing the mindful art of traditional Chinese tea ceremonies with Sydneysiders. Having sampled more than 1,000 varieties of tea, Cara is a self-professed tea lover who's obsessed with quality, as well as the sense of mindfulness that comes with drinking this warming beverage. In this calming class, you'll sample a variety of rare and exotic teas, experience a rejuvenating and mindful tea ceremony using a traditional Gongfu set and learn how to appreciate the taste and aroma of each blend. If you're looking for unusual things to do in Sydney for Lunar New Year in 2024, this soothing workshop is not to be missed.
Experience Lunar New Year in Sydney
Lunar New Year is a wonderful time of the year to explore Sydney, especially the bustling suburb of Haymarket, which is the centre of the city's Lunar New Year celebrations. Discover new neighbourhoods, try new activities and get to know the city's Chinese community at one of the many events taking place. There’s still time to plan out how you’ll be celebrating the Year of the Tiger this February, so enjoy!
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